Military vehicle

Abstract

A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule, a front module, a rear module, and a control system. The front module includes a front frame assembly coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, a front axle, and a front suspension positioned between the front axle and the front frame assembly. The rear module includes a rear frame assembly coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule, a rear axle, and a rear suspension positioned between the rear axle and the rear frame assembly. Each of the front suspension and the rear suspension includes a pair of gas springs and a pair of dampers. The control system is configured to monitor a ride height of the military vehicle and control the pair of gas springs of the front suspension and the rear suspension to adjust the ride height as load is added to or removed from the military vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A military vehicle comprising:
 a passenger capsule; 
 a front module including a front frame assembly coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, a front axle, and a front suspension positioned between the front axle and the front frame assembly; 
 a rear module including a rear frame assembly coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule, a rear axle, and a rear suspension positioned between the rear axle and the rear frame assembly, wherein each of the front suspension and the rear suspension includes a pair of gas springs and a pair of dampers; 
 a transaxle coupled to the front axle and the rear axle, wherein a plurality of components of the rear suspension are directly coupled to the transaxle; and 
 a suspension control system configured to:
 monitor a ride height of the military vehicle; and 
 control the pair of gas springs of the front suspension and the rear suspension to adjust the ride height as load is added to or removed from the military vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of gas springs are high-pressure nitrogen springs, and wherein the pair of dampers are hydraulic dampers. 
     
     
       3. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of dampers of at least one of the front suspension or the rear suspension are cross-plumbed to provide a fluid body roll control function. 
     
     
       4. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger capsule includes:
 a plurality of front interfaces positioned at the front end thereof detachably coupling the front frame assembly thereto; and 
 a plurality of rear interfaces positioned at the rear end thereof detachably coupling the rear frame assembly thereto. 
 
     
     
       5. The military vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of front interfaces and at least one of the plurality of rear interfaces is positioned along a bottom of the passenger capsule. 
     
     
       6. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a front differential positioned between the front axle and the transaxle, wherein the transaxle includes an internal mechanical disconnect that facilitates decoupling the transaxle from the front differential. 
     
     
       7. The military vehicle of  claim 6 , further comprising an actuator configured to facilitate engaging the internal mechanical disconnect. 
     
     
       8. The military vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator is accessible from an exterior of the passenger capsule. 
     
     
       9. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the front module includes bumperettes that provide mounting locations for one or more antennas at a front of the military vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a V-shaped belly deflector having lateral ends coupled to bottom edges of sidewalls of the passenger capsule, wherein the V-shaped belly deflector is positioned beneath and isolated from a floor of the passenger capsule. 
     
     
       11. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger capsule defines a front door aperture, a rear door aperture, and an interlocking door frame portion positioned along an exterior of the passenger capsule and positioned between the front door aperture and the rear door aperture, and wherein the passenger capsule includes (i) a front door positioned to selectively enclose the front door aperture and engage with the interlocking door frame portion only when closed and (ii) a rear door positioned to selectively enclose the rear door aperture and selectively engage with the interlocking door frame portion only when closed. 
     
     
       12. The military vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a generator configured to generate electricity; and 
 an export power kit coupled to the generator and configured to facilitate exporting power off of the military vehicle. 
 
     
     
       13. A military vehicle comprising:
 a chassis; 
 a front axle; 
 a rear axle; 
 a front suspension system including a pair of front high-pressure nitrogen gas springs and a pair of front hydraulic dampers; 
 a suspension control system configured to control the pair of front high-pressure nitrogen gas springs to adjust a ride height as load is added to or removed from the military vehicle; 
 a driveline including a prime mover, a transmission coupled to the prime mover, a front differential coupled to the front axle, and a transaxle coupled to the rear axle, the front differential, and the transmission; and 
 a rear suspension system including a plurality of rear suspension components directly coupled to the transaxle. 
 
     
     
       14. The military vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of front hydraulic dampers are cross-plumbed to provide a hydraulic fluid body roll control function. 
     
     
       15. The military vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of rear suspension components include pair of rear high-pressure nitrogen gas springs and a pair of rear hydraulic dampers. 
     
     
       16. A military vehicle comprising:
 a passenger capsule; 
 a front module including a front frame assembly coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, a front axle, and a front suspension positioned between the front axle and the front frame assembly, the front suspension including a front pair of gas springs and a front pair of dampers; 
 a rear module including a rear frame assembly coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule, a rear axle, and a rear suspension coupled to the rear axle, the rear suspension including a rear pair of gas springs and a rear pair of dampers; 
 a transaxle coupled to the front axle and the rear axle, wherein a plurality of components of the rear suspension are directly coupled to the transaxle; 
 wherein the front pair of gas springs and the rear pair of gas springs facilitate adjusting a ride height of the military vehicle as load is added to or removed from the military vehicle; and 
 wherein at least one of (a) the front pair of dampers or (b) the rear pair of dampers are cross-plumbed. 
 
     
     
       17. The military vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the front pair of gas springs and the rear pair of gas springs are high-pressure nitrogen gas springs, and wherein the front pair of dampers and the rear pair of dampers are hydraulic dampers.